The Two Phantoms of Amity Park
by DaydreamingTurtle
Summary: A Danny Phantom of the Opera story. A new boy comes to Casper High and puts on an amazing performance while picking the parts for their production of The Phantom of the Opera. Who is he? And what will Sam think when she lands the role of Christine?
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, this idea struck me: I love "Danny Phantom," and I love "The Phantom of the Opera," so why not combine them? **

**If this isn't an original idea, or you have suggestions, feel free to tell me. I won't get too mad. I'm sorry if this has been done before, and if it hasn't been, then I am finally being original! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, The Phantom of the Opera, or Mr. Ellis. He is my school's usual drama teacher, and I couldn't think of a better name, okay? Also, I own none of the other musicals mentioned in this chapter. Also, I do not own the Evanescence song in this particular chapter. Okay, I own nothing, unless you don't recognize it in the slightest way.**

**And do not get mad about my choosing of his last name. I got it from the book "The Phantom of Manhattan," by Frederick Forsyth. It's like an unofficial sequel to "The Phantom of the Opera."**

**Okay, read on and tell me what you think! One more thing. This is in Sam's P.O.V., unless I say otherwise. **

* * *

Danny practically dragged me over to the drama sign-up sheet. He had informed me that his parents are forcing him to join some extracurricular activity, and other than sports and cheerleading, drama was the only one.

"Danny, come on. It's not _that_ bad," I said. He was really upset. He's not the kind of guy to do_ anything_ extra for school.

Why was the sheet even up? This was the middle of the year; all the drama students had already been picked. We finally got there, and I read why:

"New Drama Club Members Needed:

Extras Or Lead Parts.

Please Sign Below And Talk To The Drama Teacher

Meeting At 3:00 PM On Tuesday For New Members"

Danny scribbled his name down and pleaded for me to add mine. I didn't mind, really. I had been meaning to join, anyway. It was nearly three o'clock, so we walked down the hall to the drama room.

"Sam, thanks for joining," he said. I smiled. Tucker ran up to us from behind, sounding a bit out of breath. "So... you guys signed up, too?" he asked. We both nodded.

"Tucker, why did you sign up?" Danny asked. Tucker whipped out his P.D.A. and stated happily, "Some of this technology's gotta go somewhere, and I think drama would appreciate it most."

I smirked, but Tucker seemed proud enough of himself. Like he was a super hero.

So Danny, Tucker, and I walked down to the drama room. A light was on, and I could see Mr. Ellis' profile. There was someone else in there, I think. I opened the door to find a lot of somebody's. As in all of the late-starters. Even some people I didn't expect. Can you say Paulina?

Danny and Tucker fell into their usual state of being into the presence of the school "goddess," and meandered away from me.

I got to take a good look around when I saw a guy I didn't recognize. He had slightly curly black hair and was dressed in a dressy black outfit. He seemed to be tall, even though he was sitting on the floor. And handsome, in a sort of subtle way. Not what people'd consider handsome in this whacked-out time period and society.

I was in one of my semi-friendly moods, so I decided to talk to him; make him feel more at home. He didn't seem to be trying to talk to anyone.

"Hi, I'm Sam," I said. Make it short, don't start babbling. "Hello there. My name is Erik." I smiled. He was British. No wonder I had never seen him before! "Are you new here?"

"Yes. It's my first day."

"Oh, wow. And you decided to sign up for drama? Just like that?"

"I think it helps me get my emotions out better. And these people are more interested in the arts, and not some useless hobby," he stated. Wow. That's how I feel!

"So... have you made any friends yet?" I asked. I was just trying to strike up a conversation, but I realized that I might've pushed over "friendly." But he answered straightforward. "Only you," he said, but he really didn't sound too upset about it.

A shadow was cast over us. I looked up into the smirking faces of Dash and Paulina. "Well, well, is Little Sammy making friends with drama geeks now? I thought you liked techno-geeks," she spat. Dash snickered. "Shut up, Paulina," I mumbled.

"Ooh, sorry to take your attention away from your new _boyfriend_," she sneered. "I met the guy only a minute ago. Just because I talk to him doesn't make him my boyfriend. Besides, if you're in drama, aren't _you _a drama geek?"

She snickered. "You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? I am in drama to become a star! There's a difference, you know!" She struck a pose. "Well, you got the Prima Donna act down perfectly," I said. She looked confused, but eventually she figured out that is was an insult and stormed off. Erik laughed.

Then Danny and Tucker came up. "Hey, Sam," Danny said. He looked beside me. "Who's your new friend?" he asked. At least he was polite. "Danny, Tucker, this is Erik," I said. "Hey," Tucker and Danny said in unison.

They took a seat near me on the floor when Mr. Ellis began the meeting. "As you all must've read, our drama club was running low on members, and we are going to begin our new play soon. All of our plays have been musicals, so, if anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to shout them out."

"_Fiddler on the Roof_!"... "_Grease_!"... "_Chicago_!"... "_Anything Goes_!" Wow, a lot of people actually appreciate musicals. That's two or three more than I expected to come from anyone. But Mr. Ellis turned those down.

"_Little Shop of Horrors_!" ... "_The Music Man_!" ... "_Oklahoma!_" ... "_The Wizard of Oz_!_"_ ... "_Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_!" Again, Mr. Ellis turned these all down. I had been making a mental list of all the musicals I knew, and most of them had been called out. Then Erik raised his hand.

"Yes, Erik?" Mr. Ellis asked. "Well, why not do _The Phantom of the Opera_?" Erik suggested. I heard a few people snicker. Most likely Paulina and Dash. Mr. Ellis' face lit up. "What a brilliant idea! All for _Phantom of the Opera_, raise your hand."

Out of about twenty people, fourteen people raised their hand. I was enthralled. I had totally forgotten about that one! But as soon as the vote was cast, all of it's details came flooding back to me.

From the book and the musical. My parents took me to see it once when I was eight, and I loved it. It's out on movie now, isn't it? I'm gonna have to go buy it.

"Now, if you all would be so kind, follow me to the stage and we can begin casting," Mr. Ellis instructed.

* * *

"I will be reading and singing for the part of Christine," Paulina said in a dramatic tone. Like everyone was clinging to every word she spoke—which, in some cases, was true.

Paulina and Dash (obviously) occupied the stage. "And... who will you be reading for, Dash?" Mr. Ellis asked. Dash kinda stood there, not really paying attention. "Uh... this Raoul guy," he said dumbly.

Then they launched into overly dramatic dialogue. "Little Lotte let her mind wander. Little Lotte thought 'Am I fonder of dolls or of goblins or shoes?' Mr. Ellis, this line doesn't make any sense! What are they talking about?" Dash whined in his naturally nasally voice.

"Okay, Dash, maybe you should watch the movie once or twice," Mr. Ellis suggested. I smirked. Paulina was left on the stage alone. Erik was seated beside me and I could hear him stifling a laugh. Then a thought struck me. I leaned over to Erik.

"Where did Mr. Ellis get these scripts?" I asked him. He smiled and said "I wrote some scene dialogue down for him until he could get the rights to put the play on."

"How?"

"I've seen the movie enough. It intrigued me because the Phantom and I share the same name. Even the correct spelling." My eyes grew wide. "Hey! That's right! I remember now!" And I really meant it. Most people say something like that so you'll shut up and leave them alone.

"Would anyone else like to try this scene?" Mr. Ellis asked. Silence. "Alright, let's go to another scene." He flipped a few pages in a notebook and I marveled. When did Erik get enough time to write all of that down? Does he keep that with him?

Mr. Ellis' eyes wandered till they rested on Erik. "Erik, why not you give it a try?" he asked. Erik got up and strode to the stage. Up there, he seemed perfectly happy and natural. Paulina was a nervous wreck.

I noticed Paulina shuffling around some papers and skimming over them frantically. "Oh, Paulina, just let Erik up there," Mr. Ellis told her. She looked slightly sad, but mostly relieved.

"What will you be performing?" Mr. Ellis asked. "_The Music of the Night_," Erik said. Mr. Ellis began to nod, but stopped short. "We need a Christine!" he bellowed. Erik motioned for me, and I cautiously got up.

I looked back at Danny, who was sitting beside me, but all he did was give me a thumbs-up sign and smiled. I walked up to the stage and took a few photocopied sheets of some of the script. I had no lines. Good. I just had to be escorted around, pretending to be hypnotized. Not so hard.

But I had never heard Erik sing. I hardly had to pretend! I felt just like Christine, with her Angel of Music singing a lullaby to her about dark and unknown things. I listened. And was amazed.

_Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation._

_Darkness stirs and wakes imagination._

_Silently the senses abandon their defenses._

Here, he paused, and I noticed that he had donned a mask. To add to the effect, I figured. He grasped my hand, and I felt oddly giddy.

_Slowly, gently, night unfurls it's splendor._

_Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender._

_Turn your face away from the garish light of day._

_Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light,_

I felt his hand on my chin. I stared straight into his eyes; there's just something about him. Or maybe it's his acting. Don't know.

_And listen to the music of the night._

He let go of my hand and took a few steps in front of me, gesturing around to an invisible Phantom's lair.

_Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams._

_Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before._

_Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar..._

My head swirled. I hadnever heard falsetto before. Live, I mean, and he hit it perfectly. I felt indescribable. Happy and nervous and entranced and about a zillion other emotions.

_And you'll live as you've never lived before. _

_Softly, deftly, music shall caress you._

_Hear it, feel it secretly possess you._

_Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind_

_In this darkness that you know you cannot fight._

_The darkness of the music of the night._

_Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world._

_Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before. _

_Let your soul take you where you long to be._

_Only then can you belong... to me._

He then held my shoulders gently. Then, to my horror, I felt his hand slipping down, down onto the rest of me. I winced slightly, and he stopped.

_Floating, falling, sweet intoxication._

He took my hand in his and led my palm to is cheek. Wow, he really has seem the movie enough to know the motions. At least, I hoped that they_ were_ the motions in the song.

_Touch me, trust me. Savor each sensation. _

_Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in_

_To the power of the music that I write._

_The power of the music of the night. _

Here, he grasped my other hand and pulled me close. And stared into my eyes.

_You alone can make my song take flight. _

_Help me make the music of the night..._

He held the note out for so long, and I wished he wouldn't stop. Of course, he had to. And I broke out of my trance. I heard applause. "I think we found our Phantom,"Mr. Ellis assured.

Erik led me off of the stage.I smiled at him, but then realized that his mask was gone. Had I imagined it?

Several other auditions happened before we were excused to go home. Danny tried out as the role of Raoul, and he was really good! I should say so; I was Christine... again. So I wasn't surprised that he got the part. Erik hadn't tried out, since he already landed a role, and Dash was the only other person who tried.

Tucker landed the part of Firmin. It fit him fine, and was grateful for the part.

Andre was taken by an original drama club member. I felt bad. Only six or seven members were in permanent drama club, and most of them weren't good. Joseph and such parts were taken by the original members.

Madame and Meg Giry were taken by our French foreign exchange students. They were beaming. I was glad for them. Above anyone else, they deserved a part.

Now, who was gonna be Christine? Paulina was determined, but was trying too hard. She stumbled through the lyrics of a Ciara song—"1, 2, Step," was it called?—and everyone could tell she didn't know the song all too well.

My turn. I felt sick. I knew I couldn't top Erik's performance. I wasn't trying to. I really knew no songs from the movie, so I picked something with a wide variety of notes.

_Playground school bell rings... again._

_Rain clouds come to play... again._

_Has no one told you she's not breathing?_

_Hello. I'm your mind, giving you someone to talk to. _

_Hello._

_If I smile and don't believe,_

_Soon I know I'll wake from this dream._

_Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken._

_Hello. I'm the lie living for you so you can hide._

_Don't cry._

_Suddenly I know I'm not dreaming._

_Hello, I'm still here._

_All that's left of yesterday..._

I heard applause again. Mostly from my friends and Mr. Ellis, but applause nonetheless. Since I was the last to give my audition for singing (the time I played Christine with Danny was counted as my acting part), Mr. Ellis stood up and announced the parts.

"Joseph Buquet – Tyler Powell

Ubaldo Piangi – Howard Davis

Madame Giry – Antoinette Bennet

Meg Giry – Marie Bennet

Richard Firmin – Tucker Foley

Gilles Andre – Marcus Bateman

Carlotta Giudicelli – Paulina Suarez

Raoul de Chagny – Danny Fenton

Christine Daae – Sam Manson

The Phantom – Erik Muhlheim."

I smiled. I was really happy for him. I mean, it's his first day, and he got a leading role! Well, I got a leading role, too, but it wasn't my first day. And so did Danny! This would be great!

"The rest of you shall be extras. If anyone wants a speaking part, or to teach choreography, see me later. The sets shall need to be started on immediately. Good bye!" Mr. Ellis dismissed.

* * *

"Hey, congratulations on your part!" I shouted to Erik. He was a good distance away from me, but stopped and smiled at me. "Yeah, you too!" he shouted back. I jogged slightly—something completely weird for me—and caught up with him.

"So... where do you live?" I asked, trying to make conversation. "I really don't know. It being my first day and all. Don't worry, though. I'll find it. Good bye, Sam." he said.

I began to walk home, but took a turn to go the store. Hopefully, they had _The Phantom of the Opera_, so I could learn my lines and stuff from it.

A little bell jingled above my head as I pushed the door open. Only two or three people were there. And I think that they were all employees.

I walked briskly to the movie rack, and saw it. Only one copy left. Or... that was the only one they had gotten. It was about twenty dollars, and I dished out a twenty and some change. Not a total loss. I could always get more at home.

When I had bought it, I only had two pennies left. Talk about close! I clutched the bag and rushed home. I was excited!

* * *

**Ooh! What's gonna happen next! I have no clue. Why not you tell me? Yes! We can write this _together_. Is that legal? Dunno. I'll find out sooner or later. **

**Um, three reviews, please. If that's not too much to ask. If so, I'm sorry. Okay, that's about all I need to say.  
****-DaydreamingTurtle- **


	2. Chapter 2

**Typing some more, la-la la!** **I want to thank every one who reviewed. They really keep me going. Honest. This story seemed terrible to me, but I can see from you guys that I was wrong. Here are the praises:**

**Lauren: Yeah, I put Mr. Ellis in. I couldn't think of any other names, and he's already a drama teacher. And about he mask... you will see.**

**shepyt: Glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing! **

**Haunting Your Kids: At first, I didn't want to put it in first-person perspective, but I had tried it third-person and didn't like it as much. Sorry! To tell you the truth, I'm curious about Erik, too. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Sugary Snicket: Thanks! I like crossovers, and I hadn't seen any like this before. **

**Guinivere Sage: I would be glad to accept your help. And you can write a Danny Phantom of the Opera story, anyway, if you wish. I find writing out the lyrics adds to the imagery, and makes the lyrics available to other authors. And about Paulina... I'm not so sure yet. And I love Erik. He's all dark and mysterious. **

**Zephyr721: Of course I'm gonna put "Point of No Return" in the story. I love that song!**

**Burtonite878: Wow, very ecstatic review. Don't worry! Here's my update!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or Phantom of the Opera. But the character Erik in this story is mine. Ha!**

**I am still open for ideas to put in my story. Even if it just something one of them says, or a detail. And I'd greatly appreciate some _accurate _dialogue from the movie. Right now, some from the beginning. Like when Monsieur Lefevre is showing Firmin and Andre the Opera House. E-mail them to me if you do, please.**

**Anything else? Hmm, don't think so. Please continue.**

* * *

I walked briskly to my house. Up onto the stoop I went and reached for the door knob. It turned and the door opened before I touched it. Mom. She was holding a cordless phone. "Sam, Danny called a few minutes ago. He said for you to call him back." She handed me the phone.

"Okaymomthanksbye!" I said in one breath and darted up the stairs. My bag was under my arm and I dialed Danny's number. I heard rhythmic ringing on the other end. Something clicked. "Hello?" Danny asked.

"Danny? Sam."

"Hey, Sam."

"Yeah, my mom said you called. What did you want.?"

"To tell you something about the auditions. You were great."

I blushed. Good thing he couldn't see me. "You were great, too," I said. Down the hall, a few doors on the left, make a left turn. Not to brag, but my house was huge! You could get lost in it.

"Thanks, but other than that, while you and Erik were on stage, my ghost sense was acting up."

"Did you find the ghost?"

"No, I didn't even see it. But I know it was there. My ghost sense has never lied before. Maybe it had been intangible. "

I finally came to my door and opened it. The dark room welcomed me. I sat down onto my bed and placed my bag down.

"Well," I said, "maybe it was just a ghost rat or some—" I cut short. By my hand on my bed was a red rose. A black ribbon was tied to the stem, and all of the thorns had been picked off.

"Aww, Danny! How sweet!" I cooed.

"Huh?" he asked dumbly.

"The flower, of course."

"What are you talking about?"

"Fine, you can play dumb if you want."

"Sam, what I wanted to say is that I think Erik is the ghost!"

My mouth fell open. But he couldn't see that. "W—what!" I was shocked. "Danny, if he was a ghost, your ghost sense would've gone off when you met him. He can't be a ghost!" I shouted.

"I know, I know. It's just a thought, Sam. But think. Anyway, that's all. I gotta go."

"Okay, bye." I said. A _click_ on the other line signified that he hung up. That was too weird. Danny just doesn't go around accusing people of being ghosts like his parents do. I shrugged.

My bag lay on the floor. Inside was my newly purchased DVD. I took it out and began unwrapping it. I hate unwrapping DVDs. All that useless tape and clingy plastic. But I got it open after a few minutes of clawing at it and put it into my DVD player.

* * *

I will not bore you with every detail about he movie. Not that it was boring, though. On the contrary. It had me in tears, and I hardly ever cry. My mascara was slightly running. Gross.

After it was over, I just kinda sat there. _That_ was the play we were gonna put on! It was gonna kill us! I just knew it. Every one of us would die of overheating and exhaustion.

I could see why Erik got the part. I was amazed at him alone, but he was gonna rock in the play. Then it hit me. I was gonna be Christine! I hadn't really remembered much about the Broadway play, but this was gonna be hard for me.

And Danny was Raoul. I was sad to find out that Raoul seems a bit annoying.

I sat a while longer. Then, I heard a soft knocking on my door. "Sam?" a voice asked from behind my door. "We have a guest. Please come down." The voice had been Mom. But she soon left again.

A guest. My parents always had guests over. Nothing too unusual. But I never had to commune with them. That was the odd part. I had no time to make one of my veggie meals, too. Crap.

I ran downstairs like a good little girl. It took a while to navigate through, still. I had never gotten used to the large house. I rounded the corner to the dining room downstairs and saw Mom, Dad, and the guest.

My mouth dropped open. "_Erik!_" I gasped. He nodded. "What are you doing here?" I asked. "Didn't I tell you? This is where I'm staying." he answered.

I folded my arms. "No, you didn't tell me. Neither did my _parents_." I stressed the word 'parents.' Mom smiled weakly and began to laugh quietly. "Oh, yes, that's right. Sorry, Sam." She continued to laugh. I didn't find the joke.

"B—but you're staying_ here_! Where! Why?" I was almost bursting into fits of hysterics. "Yes, I am. A few doors away from your room. The opportunity was open and it's close to school. There, I answered all of your questions," he said smartly.

"Oh, calm down, Sam. And sit down. I even made something special for you," Mom said. I put my usual dark mood on and sat rigidly in my seat. In front of me, I saw a once-covered dish revealing stuffed eggplant. At least they remembered my vegetarianism.

Small talk bubbled over the table. Mostly to and about Erik. Here's an example:

"Where are you from in England?" Mom asked.

"Worcestershire."

"Close to London?"

"Pretty close."

"Have you ever been there?"

"Of course. I watched theatre there all the time!"

"How do you like it over here?"

"It's fine, I guess. I'll always miss England, though." Did I sense a tone of sorrow? Probably homesick. I'd be.

"Are you in any of Sam's classes?"

"A few, I believe. We only properly met after school."

"Before you got to my house," I mumbled.

And the meal continued like this. For the longest time. I felt myself slightly tipping over to one side at times, but I quickly caught myself.

Finally, one of the maids—Sophia, I think her name is—cleared away most of the plates. I was not the only one to say thank you tonight. My parents never did. They always said that paying our maids and butlers was their way of saying thank you. I always thank them; I am perfectly capable of cleaning up for myself. They shouldn't have to. But Erik thanked them also tonight.

Mom and Dad excused all of us, and I rushed back to my room. As in almost a sprint. Mostly to get away from Erik. Okay, I know that we're friends and all, but _living_ with me? That's just too weird.

Up the stairs, down the hall, four doors to the left, make left turn, two more doors, my door. Every stupid time I go to my room, I need to follow these mental directions. Which was bad today. I was in a hurry, so I almost forgot to keep track of the number of doors and turns. Stupid big house.

My door was slightly ajar, and I walked in to see nothing different. If you don't count Erik sitting on my bed.

"What are you doing here?" I asked coldly. He looked a little hurt.

"Do you really hate me that much now?"

"Let's see. You're living in my house, and now you're violating my privacy." I said in a sarcastic tone.

He stood up, looking a little distressed. "Listen, I didn't _know_ that you lived here. And I only came in to apologize. Is that okay with you?" He shot a mimic of my own tone back at me. I walked in and he sat back down.

"Alright. I'm sorry. I should've told you where I was staying. I only didn't tell you because I didn't know that you lived here. I was only informed when I walked in and your Mum asked me where you were. Believe you me, I didn't intend this at all."

Well, that was a good enough of an apology. "Okay. Thanks, Erik. I'm still a bit weirded out about you living here is all." He got up and began to leave, but then turned.

"Did you get your rose?" he asked. A sly smile spread across his face. I looked on the floor but saw that it was gone. It was again placed on my bed. I turned towards the door, but Erik was gone.

He had told me that his room was a couple of doors away from mine. But which door? There were so many. I wouldn't try tonight. I didn't have a reason to see him, anyway. But a question found it's way into my head: How did he get up there so fast? I had sprinted, yet he got there before me. Hmm, very odd.

A maid walked by. "Anything I can do for you, miss?" she asked in a hushed voice. I thought for a second. "Yes. Which room is Erik's?" I asked in one of my most polite voices. She pointed to a door to my right. "Thank you," I said. She gave a slight curtsy and walked away.

I marched down to his room. But then I stopped. What was I doing? I really had no clue. I had no reason to be there. So I just walked back to my room. Today had been eventful and slightly weird. A laid down onto my bed, carefully placing the rose on my side table, and closed my eyes.

* * *

I woke to an unfamiliar noise. Sort of like a scratching. I looked to my window and saw Danny in ghost form floating outside. I rushed to my window and thrust it open. The night had gotten cold.

"Danny, it's late. What is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"A ghost. Come on," he stated in a serious tone. Danny gripped my wrist. We didn't even fly past my house. Only to another window. Two to my right. We floated there for a minute, watching.

There was nothing unusual. "Danny, what's this about?" I asked. His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly open. "I don't believe it," he whispered to himself. "Don't believe what?" I asked him.

He began to stammer. "A ghost! Th—there was a ghost in this room! I know it! I wouldn't lie." he seemed upset and a little angry. "Danny, it's okay. You just probably need some sleep or something. Maybe the idea that Erik is a ghost is still in your brain." I tried to reassure him. He didn't look reassured in the slightest bit.

"Yeah, you're probably right. Thanks, Sam. For understanding that I can be crazy sometimes." He still didn't sound so sure of himself. "Danny, could you drop me off at my window?" I asked. He smiled and did so. Then flew away.

What a weird day this has been. I was anxious to get back to sleep. I laid back down and tried to relax. My eyes closed automatically, but then I heard another something. But a very soothing something. My eyes opened again, and I saw a flash of green. A ghost? It was gone in a split second, though, and the soothing noise went away.

* * *

**Ooh! What's gonna happen next? I dunno. Most likely play practice. If you have any better ideas, though, tell me. **

**Oy, my fingers hurt. Yeah. Three review, please. If that isn't too much to ask. Um, that's all. Until next installment,  
****-DaydreamingTurtle-**


	3. Chapter 3

**_-blushes intensely- _Aww, you guys! Thank you sooooooooo much for all of your reviews! I never thought that this story would be so popular! And I wish that I could respond to everyone, but stories are being reported if they do that. Sorry! And please meet my new co-author, Guinivere Sage. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, The Phantom of the Opera, or Edgar Allen Poe (or any of his writings). I really don't own anything.**

**I hope that I got Mr Lancer's personality down. It was fun! To write about it, anyway.**

**Here's Chapter Three (Finally!):

* * *

**

I woke to the quiet knocking on my door. "Sam, get up. You're going to be late," Dad said. I sat up groggily, and realized that I was still in my day clothes. Not the most comfortable thing to sleep in.

I stumbled over to my closet and pulled out a black plaid skirt and a tank top and walked over to my private bathroom. ((A/N: I don't really know if Sam has a private bathroom. Sorry!))

I stared at myself in the mirror for a moment. Boy, did I look scary. With bags under my eyes and smudged mascara and my hair frizzing out straight from my head. I hastily brushed my hair out and put it in its usual style. My make-up had to be scrubbed off, leaving sore skin around my eyes. And I hoped that the bags under my eyes would go away by themselves.

I pulled my old clothes off and shoved them in an almost-too-full laundry basket and put my new clothes on. It's amazing how much better a person could look after just that bit, even though I felt terrible still.

There was another knock. "What?" I called. It was Mom this time. "Ten minutes, Sammy." I cringed at the nickname. "Come down for some breakfast." She didn't say anything else. Great. I have to socialize some more.

I ran down the hallways, down the stairs, and into the dining room. My family was all sitting there, even Grandma. Erik wasn't there. "Come on, Sammy. Have some breakfast!" Dad said happily. He waved me over to my regular seat.

"I gotta hurry, Dad. I'm late as it is." I hadn't taken my seat yet, trying to get out of eating breakfast. Mom glanced at a grandfather clock in the corner and let out a slightly too dramatic gasp. "Oh, Sammy. You're right! No wonder Erik already left!" She put one hand slightly over her mouth.

Dad stood up. "I'll drive you, Sammy." He walked out of the room and donned at hat and coat, even though there really wasn't a reason to. A key was hooked around one of his fingers. Come on; we'll take the Camaro." I walked over as he opened the door for me.

The garage door opened and in it sat the red Camaro. It was promised to me once I could drive. I felt bad. Our family has like six cars, and we hardly use them. All of them, anyway.

I sat in the passenger's seat. Dad had begun talking about stocks, and some other stuff I didn't understand. The digital clock read five till eight. I was gonna be late. Why, o _why_ had I accepted their breakfast invitation!

My school came into view and Dad slowed down. I wrenched open the door before the car had fully stopped, and rushed into the school. Dad waved. Like I could wave back right now!

* * *

"Miss Manson. So nice of you to join us. Please; take your seat, and pay attention." Of course, Mr Lancer had to announce my tardiness. But I did as I was told, and took my seat in the back.

Immediately, he began droning on about how our century's literature is so severely slipping and how we must stick to the classics if we ever expected to make it anywhere in life.

"...in conclusion, you will all be choosing a book written in or before the twentieth century, read it, and write how—if the time was taken—it could better our lives today. I have a list of approved choices." He held up a list that dropped to the floor. The class groaned in unison.

"Now, now. You all should be thanking me." He smiled like he had done something good.

"Now, all of you, up. Come pick out your book. Find one you want, then tell me. No one will have the same, Mr Fenton." He eyed Danny. I felt bad for him. Danny, I mean. It's not his fault he doesn't like this class. Or this teacher.

Each row got up and chose their book. This took about... ten minutes. Really. Good thing there were only four rows. My row went second. I skimmed through the list; I hadn't even heard of half of these books! Judging by the look on the other peoples' faces, neither did they.

I finally found one: "'The Pit and the Pendulum' and Other Tales," by Edgar Allen Poe. Spooky. I told Mr Lancer my choice and he handed me the book. Behind his desk were stacks and stacks.

"Obviously, Miss Manson, you _will_ have to read _all_ of them," he said. "I know," I answered before I could say anything else to him. Really! I knew that I'd have to read them all! I'm not that dense.

Two more rows. I cracked open my book and read the Table of Contents. _The Fall of the House_ _of Usher_, _The Pit and the Pendulum_, _The Masque of the Red Death_,_ The Tell-Tale Heart_, etc., etc.

This book was really long! Each story was about twenty pages long, and there were probably eight or nine stories. So, now I've got intense play practice _and _a report.

The class bell rang after about ten minutes of reading. Danny was called back again. Poor Danny! I don't know why Mr Lancer hates him. A lot of other students were failing, too.

That's when it happened. I was walking down the hall, with Tucker beside me, since Danny was still being held up. But Tucker was messing with his P.D.A., so he and I weren't communicating. I was passing, same as usual, when my shoulder hit someone else's. At first, they looked a little mad, but then saw my face.

"Hey, good job, Manson!" the person told me. Really. To _me_. There is no one else with the last name of Manson in the school. I smiled weakly. "What? You don't know?" he asked. "What?" I asked, completely clueless. "You landed the main role in the play!" the guy practically yells at me. Then he joins the crowd again, lost.

Why would he care? It's just a school play to all of them. Yes, it was a huge deal to me, but I'm not _them_. And he didn't congratulate Tucker at all. Weird.

* * *

Only minutes after I entered the auditorium I was called onto the stage. I waited on the stage and saw Danny sneak in. He seemed to come in undetected. Mr Ellis had us all sitting in a circle on the stage, reciting our lines. He wanted to get as much of it read through as we could. Drama practice was only an hour long at this point.

Mr Ellis read through the part at the beginning as the auctioneer, with Danny and Antoinette playing the older versions of their characters. At specific times, they raised their hands.

"'Sold for thirty francs to the Vicomte de Chagny. Thank you, sir. Lot 666, then. A chandelier in pieces. Some of you may recall the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera. A mystery never full explained. We are told, ladies and gentlemen, that this is the very chandelier which figures in the famous disaster.

"'Our workshops have repaired it and wired parts of it for the new electric light. Perhaps we can frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination. Gentlemen—?' And then, the chandelier sweeps up, and everything turns back to 1870."

At this point, no one—except for Erik—seemed to be paying attention. "And then there is just music, but shows all of the people getting ready to put on the opera _Hannibal_. We open up again with Carlotta singing on stage. Just read the words for now, Paulina," he said. "And when the next song comes up, just go ahead. No real dialogue for now."

She read deadpan, with no emphasizing at all. "This tro-o-o-o-phy from our saviors, from our sa-a-a-a-a-viors. From the enslaving force of R-o-o-o-o-me." She seemed to be counting. Then some extras joined in. "With feasting and dancing and song tonight in celebration. We greet a victorious throng returned to bring salvation. The trumpets of Carthage resound. Hear Romans now and tremble. Hark to their step on the ground. Hear the drums; Hannibal comes."

The person playing Piangi read, "Sad to return to find the land we love threatened once more by Roma's far-reaching grasp." He stopped, and there was a short pause. Everyone must be skimming, to try to find the song again.

"The trumpeting elephants sound. Hear Roman's now and tremble. Hark to their step on the ground. Hear the drums; Hannibal comes!"

Mr Ellis cut them off. "Everyone up. I want you to actually attempt to put some emphasis into it!"

"But, director, no one knows the songs!" Tucker said. Mr Ellis pondered this. "Hmm, tomorrow will be a long class, but we won't be doing anything. Does anyone have the movie?" I raised my hand, and I saw Erik raise his. "Erik, why not you bring it in? Don't forget! Good bye!"

* * *

So, class was over. Danny, Tucker and I met up just outside the auditorium. "Hey, you guys wanna go over to Nasty Burger?" I suggested. Tucker shook his head. "No, I can't. Lancer assigned that book thingy. It's gonna take me forever!" Danny exclaimed.

"What did you pick?" I asked. He took out his book. _Treasure Island_ by Robert Louis Stevenson. It actually was a pretty thin book. I opened it and the text was so tiny, it took me a second to focus to be able to read it. "And the worst part is that I didn't even pick it! Lancer did."

Tucker held his book out, too. _1984 _by George Orwell. "I don't see how this could better our future. It's about a dictator," Tucker said.

"And mine's about pirates. Piracy is illegal!" Danny exasperated. I shook my head. "What a dumb assignment. I doubt that anyone will pass it." With that, all of us went our separate ways.

* * *

I arrived home, finally. I kept taking different roads, trying to read and walk at te same time. Not one of my best ideas. For one thing, I couldn't concentrate on the book, and I walked into traffic... let's say more than once. It was as stupid as the time I tried to get dressed in complete darkness.

"Sammy!" Mom yelled. The pet name was growing strangely common, I noticed. Especially since I hate it. "We were worried sick about you! Why didn't you call on your _cell phone_?" She emphasized "cell phone" a little too much. "Mom, I never take it anywhere. Those things cause cancer."

Mom rolled her eyes. "Everything causes cancer, dear." ((A/N: I must say now that I got that line from a book called "Boy Proof." That's all. Bye!)) I was appalled. I mean, I know that my mom's like that, but to say it front of me is to try to shove meat into my mouth. "Oh, Sammy. You have a visitor. It's Danny. He's in your room."

I ran upstairs, and—after navigating through my huge house—got to my room. And there he was, but, oddly, he was in ghost form, and floating in the air, like he was impatient. "Danny? Something wrong?" I asked.

"Yes, there is something wrong. I saw that ghost. Again! I saw him coming to your house. Keep your eyes out."

"Danny, there is no ghost. I'd know. I've seen enough of them. I'll tell you if I see anything."

"But this one is different. I don't know how. I think that he's kinda like me. A hybrid. Only evil, like Vlad. I think that there's some human in there, too."

I scoffed. "Danny, are you feeling okay? You've been really stressed." I was gonna suggest a vacation, but he was in no position to do that.

So, instead, I said, "Just try to take it ea—" but was cut off, when Danny covered my mouth with his hand. I heard footsteps go by my door, very, very slowly. Then the footsteps sped up again, and the person the footsteps belonged to began humming. Erik.

A bell rang five times. It was dinnertime.

"Listen, Danny, I gotta get to dinner. So... see ya?" I said, stupidly. Danny smiled, then disappeared. He was gone.

I put my bookbag down (I had totally forgotten that I was holding it!) and headed down to dinner.

Ever since Erik came to stay with us, my parents have been obsessing about everything about him.

"You said your last name is Muhlheim?" my dad asked. Erik nodded.

"And you were born and lived in England all your life?" Erik nodded again.

"Where did your last name come from? What's its origin? Do you know?" Dad kept drilling him.

"I'm not sure. My family is the entire European melting pot, so I have no clue... I think it's Persian."

I blinked. I don't think that I had ever heard Erik talk so much, when he wasn't acting,anyway.

There was silence. My parents were so formal, but I never had gotten used to silence. Mom started up again. "I heard that you got the lead in the school play?" Mom asked. Erik and I both nodded. I had gotten the leading role, too, but I didn't know who she was talking to.

Her eyes widened. "You, too, Sammy?" she asked. "Yeah," I mumbled. "What is the play, dear?" she asked me. "It's the Phantom of the Opera," I said. She snickered.

"W—what's so funny?" I asked. "Hmm, opera. _You_ doing _opera_?" she began to laugh a little more. I could feel my face getting hot. "Why is that funny?" Erik asked. "Obviously, Erik, you don't know our Sammy," Mom said. "Obviously you don't," Erik snapped back. Mom stopped laughing.

"Excuse me?" she asked. She was ticked. "She got the part for a reason. That's all I'm saying." I shot a glance at him. Then at Mom. She was red now. "I'm—sure that she'll do... fine, Erik, but Sammy, she... she doesn't _do _anything like that."

"Show's how much you know!" I shouted at her. I ran up the stairs. While doing so, I thought, what came over me? I hadn't been too mad at her. But I kept running till I reached my room. But then I stopped.

I leaned over to Erik's door. It was closed, as always. But I walked over to it and twisted the handle. It wasn't locked. I pushed to door open and strolled inside.

Nothing too out of the ordinary. He had brought a lot of his stuff over, so I guessed that it could pass as his room and not just some decorated guest room. Everything was sloppy, though. Papers were strewn all over the place, a desk with stacks of that old-fashioned looking paper, and a candelabra with twisted, stunted, burned-out candles sticking to it. There was a keyboard in one corner of the room, with stacks of song books on top of it and beside it. A T.V. sat on a cabinet, and a "Phantom of the Opera" DVD case sat, open, on top of the T.V.

Oh, yeah, and Erik. He was sitting on his bed, watching. At first, I hadn't even seen him, and he really scared me when I finally noticed him. "What're you doing, Sam?" he asked. "N—n—nothing," I stammered."You're just so secretive; I was curious."

He laughed a laugh that scared me even more. "Curiosity is a major flaw, Sam. Don't let it get to you." With that, he shooed me out just by looking at me. I felt heavy with guilt. "Sam? Don't let what your mother said bother you. You will be extraordinary," he said. I walked out and closed his door.

I walked into my room and turned my T.V. on. My DVD player was still on, so I pushed play. The Phantom of the Opera began up again. This time watching it I paid close attention, trying to figure out the characters. And the songs. I had a lot of songs to learn.

* * *

I don't think that I moved for that two and a half hours. I was in tears at the end of it again. Some of the lyrics I already knew, which was good. The credits ended, and I could hear the same movie going on in Erik's room.

Danny appeared again. "Hi, Danny!" I said, wiping the tears from my face. My mascara was waterproof, thank goodness. "Hi, Sam. You okay?" he asked. "Yeah. Yeah."

We just kinda looked at each other for a moment before Danny shook his head. "Sam, come with me." He grabbed my wrist, and I felt a cold jolt shoot through my body and my brain. I was intangible, and flew through the wall with Danny.

"Danny, does this have anything to do with Erik being a ghost?" I asked.

"You'll see," he said in a slight singsong voice. We stopped, again, at Erik's window. I was still getting that cold sensation, so I knew that I was still intangible. Danny and I hung by Erik's window and my eyes grew wide.

I saw Erik; nothing more. "Danny!" I shouted. "What's wrong with you! Ever since Erik showed up, you've been accusing him of being a ghost! I want you to stop it."

Danny looked hurt. I could see it in his green eyes. "Fine. You're right. I'm probably just... crazy." He was speaking so low that I thought he was talking to himself. He took me back to my room and left without saying good-bye.

* * *

**Okay, this was a bit long, and nothing really happened, but I hope it wasn't a total waste... yeah. Erm, I dunno what's gonna happen next, but stay tuned!**

**-DaydreamingTurtle- **


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